[Steve.B]

Hell! Does this mean no trips to the plot?

[Aunt Sally]

We can still go to parks for exercise once a day as long as we don’t gather with other people.

I would imagine it is easier to maintain social distancing on an allotment site than it is on a footpath in a park.

[al78]

Exercise is one of the exceptions, I am going to take that as meaning I can cycle to my plot and work on it on my own, given I will not be in close proximity to anyone else. I'm working from home during the weekdays so can't do that until the weekends anyway.

[wighty]

We're both self employed in a hardware shop.  We have decided since we are allowed to open, we will be open between 9 and 1pm only.  We are trying to think of other ways we can protect ourselves and our customers but are not coming up with much at the moment. We are also in the middle of stock taking for end of year, glad I started it last week as we only have one bit left to do.   Shut my Island down please, although the ferries have already started limiting access. (Sorry that sounds so selfish, but a lot of people here are saying the same thing).

[mumofstig]

We're both self employed in a hardware shop.  We have decided since we are allowed to open, we will be open between 9 and 1pm only. 

Didn't Boris just say that all shops apart from food stores and chemists must close? I'm sure I didn't imagine it 

[Aunt Sally]

That’s right mom.  I don’t think hardware stores are allowed to open now.

[wighty]

We read the BBC news site and it said we were, If we've read it wrong I apologise.

[Steve.B]

Spuds to go in Onions to go in? need to clarification. * who went out at the weekend have a lot to answer for.

[WeavingGryphon]

We're both self employed in a hardware shop.  We have decided since we are allowed to open, we will be open between 9 and 1pm only. 

Didn't Boris just say that all shops apart from food stores and chemists must close? I'm sure I didn't imagine it 

Does opticians count as essential, because I have to pick up a pair on Wednesday. Fiddlesticks.

Anyway, walking or driving (we have children who like to play in mud) up to a site which is essentially a field to dig or weed should count as light exercise.

[DanielCoffey]

We are already realising we can't get haircuts. Was due to see our visiting hairdresser tomorrow so had to cancel. By the time she's allowed to come round, I'll have a pretty decent ponytail!

My wife is in the vulnerable category (MS) so as her sole carer I too have to follow her 12-week isolation too.

[Aunt Sally]

Keep safe DC !

[Hobovore]

From the telegraph

"All non-essential shops are closing, excluded are food shops, pharmacies, corner shops, hardware stores, petrol stations, pet shops, post offices, banks, newsagents and shops inside hospitals."

It would seem the hardware shop can stay open.

[Plot 1 Problems]

If I may offer a little in between the lines reading here, it's not that we're being confined to our homes, more that there's now the power in place for police action where people are frankly being stupid. None of us are going to be arrested for tending our plots if we're being resposible and keeping a distance between other people. (that's the 'excerise' option). However if the selfish *********** that all went on a jolly on Sunday try and do it again then they'll get a boot up the aris by the boys in blue.

[Steve.B]

Mr Gove MP says it's okay to go to the plot.

[Yorkie]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close is the page with the official guidance documents.

As regards outdoor spaces, it says the following must close: "Enclosed spaces in parks, including playgrounds, sports courts and pitches, and outdoor gyms or similar".

The difficulty will come in interpreting the 'one exercise per day'.